Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DEM Party has called for an apology from Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), following his statement defending his 2016 vote. The vote in question contributed to legal proceedings that ultimately led to the imprisonment of Selahattin Demirtaş, a prominent Kurdish politician. Kılıçdaroğlu expressed no remorse for his decision, sparking outrage from the DEM Party, who view it as a betrayal of democratic principles. Demirtaş, formerly a leading figure in the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), remains incarcerated despite a recent European Court of Human Rights ruling calling for his release. The CHP leader’s stance is particularly sensitive given ongoing efforts towards political reconciliation and the upcoming local elections. A Kılıçdaroğlu aide indicated the CHP leader intends to address the issue further in upcoming engagements. This controversy highlights deep divisions within the Turkish political landscape regarding Kurdish rights and political freedoms.